SADDAM STRATEGY: FLOOD THE ZONE

21 Mar 2003

Saddam flooded Iraq's rivers to deter Iranian advances during the their 1980's conflict, CNN reports. And there's concern at the Pentagon that he might try the same trick again now."Iraq could cause catastrophic flooding of portions of the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys, either by releasing large amounts of water from dams or by destroying them, (causing) major humanitarian crises in parts of Iraq," a Pentagon statement says, according to CNN."Parts of southern Iraq routinely flood in March and April because of heavy rainfall and snow melting in the north," CNN reports. "Some areas that are already under water could be impassable for four to six weeks, even without additional flooding."